


The Fairies' Plan A

by BalunStormhands



Category: Sleeping Beauty (1959)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-02-16
Updated: 2013-05-17
Packaged: 2017-11-29 12:08:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 14
Words: 14,494
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/686786
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BalunStormhands/pseuds/BalunStormhands
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In the movie “Sleeping Beauty” we saw the fairies improvising after Phillip discovered Aurora in the forest. What was their original plan for getting the princess home? Would it have worked?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Telling Aurora Goodbye

“Your Majesties,” began Flora the fairy as the three fairies approached the royal family in their private sitting room. “Burning the spinning wheels is not going to be enough to stop her, you know that?”

“Would an assault on the Mountain work? If we kill her would that make a difference?” asked the king.

The fairies shook their heads in unison. “That would probably get a lot of your people killed or worse. Even if you did succeed, it wouldn’t do anything about the curse. She doesn’t need to be alive to accomplish the curse.”

King Stefan nodded sadly, he had his arms around his quietly weeping wife, who was holding their miracle daughter, as they sat on one of the sofas.

“We have a plan to protect the princess. She needs to be hidden from Maleficent. She can’t stay here. She will expect us to try to protect her here in some way. I’m sorry but given sixteen years we are sure that she could find a weakness in any defense we could create and accomplish the curse. We need to do something that doesn’t expect.” Flora explained.

“I take it it has something to do with the peasant clothes you’re wearing now.” Stefan said.

“Yes. She’ll be raised as a foundling child by peasant women in the forest. We know of an aban...”

“Stop!” King Stefan commanded.

The fairies were taken aback by the forcefulness of his tone. Few people had ever spoken that way to them.

Stefan sighed, “Please, don’t tell us where. We cannot risk anyone finding her, not even ourselves.” 

“We understand, Your Majesty.” said Flora.

“We should make the place you are going crown land. That would help protect our baby,” said Queen Leah.

“Since you are going to hide her in a forest, we can designate it crown land so fewer people will enter it.” King Stefan got up, and pulled a map from his desk. He laid it on the table and then retrieved quill and ink. “The kingdom has many forests. Please mark at least ...twelve of them. I’ll do some other things too so this plan isn’t so obvious. That will help confuse Maleficent and anyone else. Our baby must be protected.”

Stefan knew about the kidnapping that had happened in Corona a couple of years ago. He now knew why King Leonard had asked about torture techniques. He probably could never take vengeance out on Maleficent, but he surely wanted to now.

“Good thinking, Your Majesty,” said Flora going to the map, trying to figure out where the abandoned woodcutter’s cottage was but she didn’t know how a map worked. So she ended up waving her wand at the map and in a burst of sparkles circles appeared around twelve forests.

“What about Phillip?” Asked Merryweather.

“What about him?” asked Flora.

“He’s Aurora true love, isn’t he? He’s the cursebreaker, if we fail. Won’t Maleficent go after him too?” asked Merryweather.

“Oh dear.” said Fauna.

“We can’t keep them together.”

“It might be best if they aren’t both magically protected. Maleficent won’t expect him to go into hiding using just human resources. I’ll talk to Hubert about it,” said King Stefan.

Just then Aurora started to fuss. Queen Leah opened her dress and began to give suck to her beloved child. 

“I love you. I love you so much, my dear one. We both love you. You’ll be safe with them. You’ll come back to us.” Leah began to sing as tears dripped down her face onto her beloved baby. She knew this was the last time she would be doing this for her baby. What would her baby be like in 16 years? She was going to miss out on everything as her baby grew up.

Leah knew enough about the fairies that they cared deeply, but they were sometimes ignorant of the ways of humankind. They wanted to keep Aurora safe, they wouldn’t take her away if they didn’t know how to care for her, would they?

Leah swaddled Aurora nice and tight and gave her kisses as did Stefan. Why was their life so hard? It had taken so much effort to conceive her babies. She had two stillbirths, their bodies in the royal crypt. Leah was rocking back and forth trying not to sob. 

King Stefan put his hand on the head of his beloved miracle daughter. “My dearest, beloved Aurora. My blessing upon you. Know that your mother and I love you with all our hearts. Listen to the fairies, obey them, be a good girl and they will be able to keep you safe so you will be able to return to us and your betrothed. We love you. We love you.” Stefan wept as his hand dropped and he kissed her. 

“We’ll take good care of her. We’ll bring her back after the curse is broken,” promised Fauna, seeing the distress in the king and queen, as she held out her hands for the now sleeping baby.

Leah kissed Aurora one last time, put her on her shoulder for a few more pats, cradled her in her arms and slowly extended Aurora to the waiting fairy. “Good-bye. My baby. Good-bye.”

Fauna cradled the baby princess close, and turned away into the protective circle of the two other fairies.

Stefan and Leah went to the balcony and watched as the fairies and their daughter snuck out of the castle. Stefan put his arm around Leah as the door closed behind the fairies and together they walked with heavy hearts back to their rooms.


	2. Hubert and Phillip Say Goodbye

“Ah, son. I have to talk to you.” said King Hubert finding his son near the kitchens.

“Yes, Father. I need to speak to you too,” said the young prince Phillip as they walked back to their rooms.

Hubert was surprised, reluctantly sitting his young son down in their rooms in King Stefan’s castle. “What about?”

“I can’t stay. I can’t go home either. I’m the spellbreaker, if the fairies fail. Maleficent is going to be after me, I think.”

“Yes, that’s exactly what I needed to talk to you about.” Hubert said sadly, though proud of his boy for figuring it out himself. 

“I’m pretty good at hide-and-seek, but I don’t know how to hide from a witch,” explained Phillip seriously in his boyish voice.

“We aren’t sure ourselves. We are going to make you a squire to one of Stefan’s knights for now. I’ll be borrowing a child to take home so it looks like we will be going home together. We won’t be able to talk directly. I’m thinking I’ll be able to leave messages for you at our consulates throughout the capitals of the continent. Here is a letter of recommendation. It will be able to get you aid if you show it to nobles or royalty.” Hubert handed Phillip a letter with a large royal seal on it.

“Thank you father.”

“You should try to keep a low profile, Maleficent will be looking for you and Aurora. She is very powerful. It’s okay to run away if you see her or if unusual or magical things start to happen near you. You have to stay safe to save Aurora.”

“Yes, father.” Seeing Queen Leah crying her her throne made him angry at Maleficent and he would do anything he could to help Leah and Aurora be together again.

“There are so many things I’d like to tell you, but there isn’t time.” Hubert sighed, “You know those stories I read to you before bed?”

“Yes.”

“You need to be like the heroes in those stories. You need to keep yourself clean inside and out. I put a few words of advice in a letter that will make more sense later. Stay safe. Things will change after Aurora’s sixteenth birthday. But for now we hide as best as we can.” Hubert put his hand on Phillip’s shoulder and Phillip nodded.

There was a knock at the door and the maid let in a knight, the man that will take his son away from him as he began his journey to manhood.

“I’m gonna miss you, daddy.” Little Phillip hugged his dad.

“I’ll miss you too.” Hubert hugged Phillip back.


	3. Fauna Teaches Little Briar Rose About the Birds and the Bees

“Aunt Fauna, Aunt Fauna, there are bunnies fighting outside,” called little Briar Rose as she raced into the abandoned woodcutter’s cottage.

“Hm, what was that dear?” Fauna had her eyes on the meal Merryweather was making. Flora and Merryweather had argued about what to have, as usual, but as Merryweather was the only one who cooked, she tended to make what she wanted anyway. She did try to make what the others liked as often as she could, but some of it was more complicated then she know how to make, even with the help of the cookbook. Merryweather kept complaining that the recipes were missing bits and pieces. 

Briar Rose stood in front of Aunt Fauna, took her hands and waited until she was looking at her. “Some bunnies are fighting outside, you need to make them stop.”

Fauna was curious, rabbits can and do fight, but the calming influence of the fairies should keep that from happening right around the cottage. Little Rose takes her outside and points to a couple of rabbits in the tall grass. The rabbits are making rather loud squeaking and squealing noises, they are not chasing each other like they were fighting, but one is on top of the other.

“Oh, Rose dear. They aren’t fighting, they are having sex.” Fauna said matter-of-factly.

“What is sex, Aunt Fauna?” Little Briar Rose asked.

“It’s how bunnies make baby bunnies. The boy bunny climbs on the girl bunny and puts his penis inside her vagina. The semen goes from the boy bunny to the girl bunny and fertilizes her. Then she is pregnant with baby bunnies.” Fauna said calling some other bunnies over to show the relevant parts to her royal charge. “That is how animals reproduce. Deer, wolves and humans all do it pretty much the same way.”

“Oh, will we have baby bunnies soon,” asked Briar Rose eagerly, little bunnies were so cute.

“Yes, it takes about four weeks. That isn’t very long,” said the ancient fairy. 

“Four weeks, but that’s forever!” Pouted the young princess.

“Rose, Fauna, will you help set the table, please? Dinner’s almost ready!” Called Merryweather.

“Coming, Aunt Merryweather!” replied Briar Rose, as she skipped back to the cottage.


	4. Maleficent on the Trail

~ The Fairies’ Plan A - Part 4 - Maleficent on the Trail

“So, he was here.” Maleficent stated coolly, running a fingernail down the man’s stubbled jaw.

“Yes, oh please. Yes, he was,” the desperate man said in great pain.

“When did he leave?” She demanded.

“I don’t know,” came the strangled reply. “I sent him on an errand two days ago. He was supposed to be back this morning, but he didn’t show. I don’t know why.”

Maleficent considered the elaborately bound man, the barn had provided more then enough material for her to play with. He was probably telling the truth. He should be in too much pain to lie effectively. He was a strong man, and it was so gratifying to make him use his own strength against himself. He could free himself easily enough, if he was willing to be less then a man afterwards. Maleficent smirked. 

“Two days.” Maleficent said quietly. Phillip was either getting luckier or better at evading her. She had been within hours of him, more then once. He was hiding very well, but there were only so many people on the continent that trained knights. 

Maleficent did find it vexing. Sometimes Phillip would vanish completely for a while, but he would become careless and word would get out about a prince disguised as a knight or squire. She would find him, there were still years until the deadline of the curse.

Finding Aurora was her primary concern. The curse was directed at the fairies, not the girl or the boy. Cursing the girl was merely a way to force the fairies to care for the girl. Merryweather’s gift had modified her curse so it was just an eternal sleep until true love’s kiss would wake her. Silly fairies and their rainbow dreams. Phillip and Aurora were betrothed, but that didn’t mean the child prince and the infant princess loved each other. They could not understand at that time. Phillip was old enough now that he should be able to understand romantic love, but Aurora was still just a child now and could not.

The fairies had hidden the princess, rather effectively too, the witch admitted to herself. The fairies had not taken the baby princess to their own home, which seemed abandoned. They obviously disguised themselves, but she knew the fairies well enough that all she had to do was find three women in red, green and blue and she would find the princess. There was also the princess herself, hair of sunshine gold and lips that shame the red, red rose. Rumors of beautiful children were easy enough to track down, but none had been the princess yet.

She had set her goons to search throughout the kingdom and the surrounding areas. They could not enter the cities and larger towns so she searched there herself, splitting her time between the two targets. A black cloak was enough to disguise her obvious green skin.

She had gone to King Hubert’s kingdom to collect the young prince, but he was gone. Hidden somewhere but not in his home kingdom or the kingdom of King Stefan. So she searched for him as well. The continent was big but not impossibly so. There were still years of time. 

A game of hide and seek that spanned the continent was grand. Much more fun then ordering her witless goons around all the time. Their orders were simple enough, search everywhere to find the babe.

Maleficent was patient, she would find them in time. In any case, it gave the fairies time to learn to love Aurora, which just furthered her plan. The longer it took, the more devastating the final blow would be. The more it would hurt them, the sweeter it would be to crush them. The death curse was a risk, it would backfire on her if she did not accomplish it in time.

“Please. Have mercy,” the knight begged.

Maleficent turned her attention back to the helpless man. “Mercy? Mercy is for the weak. Are you that weak?”

The man bit his lip. 

Maleficent wanted to laugh. Men’s egos were so easy to use against them. He would suffer for hours before admitting he was weak. He may just die before admitting weakness. That was always fun to watch. Pity his family wasn’t home. Forcing him to destroy his own family to try and save them would be deliciously ironic. Besides, no one had offered her mercy. Therefore, they deserved none in return.

“Alas, I must be off to chase down Phillip and cannot stay to watch your feat of strength. So I will end this.” With a twirl of her staff she rapped him on his back neatly severing his spine. No longer able to control his body, his muscles relax and cannot keep what was happening at bay any longer. 

Maleficent licked her lips sensuously as the ripping sounds came, as she walked to the doors of the barn. His scream of pain cut off with his air. It would take several minutes for him to finish bleeding out, which should be about the same time as when he strangled to death. 

She looked back from the barn door at the dying, suffering man. She nodded, he was well positioned, anyone opening the door would know something was wrong but would have to approach quite closely to see what precisely was wrong. The oldest child would most likely be the one to find him; that would be so very traumatizing. A wound that would leave scars that would last forever, just like hers.

Maleficent left with a slight smile on her face as the man gurgled in pain.


	5. The Fairies’ Plan A - Part 5 - A Day In Paris

As Phillip sat down in a little cafe, his eyes scanned the crowd looking for anyone looking at him too long, as a meal was brought to him by a shapely serving wench. He was on the move again, disguised as a woodsmen. One of his favored disguises, since it let him carry a large knife and ax. He had had to run again, that giant plant climbing into the sky told him magic was doing something in that nearby village. In all likelihood Maleficent had nothing to do with it but he couldn’t take any chances, so he had run again. 

How he yearned to confront her and end her threat. He was getting bigger and stronger. It was time to start making himself new armor, he was outgrowing his old armor. The work of a blacksmith would make his body stronger. But now was a time for research, the libraries of Paris would tell him things he needed to know. 

Phillip had apprenticed himself to knights and blacksmiths, studied at schools and monasteries, sought out great but lesser known swordsmen to teach him the ways of the blade. He was frustrated too. So often he’d had to cut and run before he had learned all he wanted to learn, then he’d had to start over somewhere else. Usually because he had visited the local royalty and the news would leak out. He was old enough to be on his own now, this was his first time all on his own. His mentors and guides had helped so much but he needed to do things independently now, he needed that confidence in himself, and hopefully fewer of them would die. 

Phillip looked at the packet of letters from his father he had picked up from the consulate here in Paris. He was far enough from his last place of training to risk a visit. His father had setup this system so they could communicate, a little. He’d left his own packet of letters to be sent to his father. He was careful not to put any location information in them so he could not be tracked if they were intercepted. 

Until a couple of weeks ago he had been a squire to a elderly knight of some reputation, and smart enough to understand the problem Phillip and Aurora were facing. He had taught Phillip of the ways of chivalry and combat and let him learn of the other things that interested him. Then one night a giant plant had grown into the sky, a maid had sounded the alarm in the dawn. They had all gone out to stare, then went in to put on their armor. The stories around giant plants hardly ever worked out all that well. The knight had Phillip escort his family to safety, as an excuse to get Phillip away from that particular danger. Which he did, but left before he had heard word of what had happened. Phillip was planning to wander the market in the morning to find out any news or rumors. 

Magic was such a problem. It could do so much, yet the restrictions seems bizarre and arbitrary. “Probably just as well,” mumbled Phillip as he leafed through the pages of material his father had sent about what they knew and suspected of the magic Maleficent and the fairies used. 

More then once he had been close enough to Maleficent to touch her. He disguises so far had been good enough that she hadn’t recognized him, but he knew that luck was running in his favor for now. He hated having to rely on luck so much, but it was all he had sometimes. He hated the fear that filled his heart too. He had learned enough of disguise and evasion that the important part was not to act like she was important to him. Acting like an ignorant peasant worked but it was awful. He wanted to do something; sometimes to run, other times to try killing her, but it wasn’t time yet. It was getting close. Once the curse was broken he could confront her, take revenge on her for the terrible things she had done to their families and to his mentors. He could be patient, just a few more years.

He saw a girl in blue walk past while reading a book. Seeing someone reading was unusual on it’s own, but she was walking through the crowd without even looking up and avoiding everyone and everything around her. That was a remarkable skill. She would know where the library would be in this wildly disorganized town. 

Spilling a few coins on the table, he dove into the gathering crowd after the girl. The crowd was getting ready for the Topsy-Turvy Day parade. Phillip thought it would be fun, peasant festivals were always happy occasions. 

“Pardon, mademoiselle with the book!” Phillip called in a slightly accented French. He had learned French, Spanish, Italian, and English on top of his native German. Sometimes it was hard to remember which one to use. 

The girl stopped and turned a curious look on her face as she closed the book with a finger holding her place. “Oui, may I help you?” she asked.

“I hope so, I am looking for the library and you are the first person I’ve seen with a book in this city.” Phillip said.

The girl moved a lock of brown hair from her pretty brown eyes, she took in his appearance but also those around them, some in outlandish costumes. Most woodcutters are not so interested in books. “Of course, it is a bit of a walk from here, so would you mind waiting until after the festival?”

“Not at all. I wasn’t planning to go until tomorrow because of the festival. But knowing the way today would let me get an early start tomorrow. My name is Phillip.”

The girl smiled and extended her hand, “I’m Belle.”

“You live up to your name,” said Phillip, taking her hand and bowing over it. The girl was a great beauty, and obviously had brains. His last view of his betrothed was as a newborn, he was sure she would be beautiful as well, given the gifts of the fairies. He would see Aurora home and reunited with her family.

Just then an iron carriage escorted by many guards rushed uncaringly through the crowd. He pushed the girl out of the way as he dove out of the way. Phillip adjusted himself as discreetly as he could, before it could peek out the top of his pants, as they were separated. He smoothed his tan vest over his brown hose.

The girl’s beauty was remarkable, but he was betrothed and would not violate that. He had vitally important things to accomplish, and could not afford the distraction. Though a woman haunted his dreams that was even more beautiful then this girl.

“So, have you always lived in Paris?” Asked Phillip as they rejoined. 

“No. My father and I moved here a few years ago. Paris is wonderful with all the different things to do and see and learn. There is always something new. He’s trying to speak to someone in the government about his inventions, but they are just giving him the run around.” Sighed Belle, beautifully.

“I’m sorry.” Phillip said, sincerely. 

“Thank you.” Belle looked like she was going to ask something but just then the parade began with a bang. The man leading the parade was putting on quite the show. Belle laughed at the men on leashes being lead by dogs. Phillip and Belle blushed at the dancing gypsy girl. 

When the King of Fools was crowned Phillip became concerned. Guards began to pelt the poor man with rotten fruit. The crowd was turning ugly.

“Oh no, someone has to help that poor man,” said Belle.

“Yes,” said Phillip. He was scanning the crowd for a hole to get in there, his ax in his hand. He didn’t want to chop his way through the crowd, most of the people were innocent. 

A man came up with a crate of rotten vegetables next to them, and Phillip smashed it with his ax. 

“No,” Phillip growled and the man fled as space opened up around them.

Then the gypsy girl was there rescuing the poor hunchback. 

“Silence!” frowned Judge Frollo.

“Justice!” demanded Esmerelda.

“Time to go, Belle.” Phillip decided, taking her arm and leading her away from the chaos. His ax held low but ready.

“But what about...?” Belle kept looking back, her hand on his on her arm.

“This crowd is turning ugly and the guards started it. That gypsy girl just issued an open challenge to his authority. This is about to spiral out of control. Even if there is not a riot, there is going to be retribution. We don’t want to be caught in the middle of that.” They looked back, as shouting, yelling and banging came from the square. It looked like the riot had begun with the gypsy girl in the middle of it. Belle gave a wide-eyed nod.

“Show me the library, then I’ll take you home. You and your father better leave, the sooner the better. Go find a quiet, little village in a poor province somewhere. It looks like I’ll be leaving in the morning. Bother! But there is never enough time anymore. Hopefully, I can learn enough tonight,” growled Phillip as he threw his cloak over the both of them as the rain began. 

“You aren’t really a woodsman, are you?” asked Belle, her eyes narrowing. Lifting the cloak off her hair.

Phillip grimaced, he’d given himself away again. “No, but please don’t ask who I am. I am far too dangerous to the people around me to tell you.”

Belle eyes widened in fear as she understood what he meant. Someone was after him, someone powerful enough and nasty enough to not care who got in the way. She nodded worriedly as they hurried through the rain, then said, “This way to the library.”

Phillip and Samson left the next morning. Belle and her father later that day once they loaded the cart. They chose an out of the way village in a poor province to hide in, far enough away and obscure enough to be missed by the pogrom Frollo instituted against the gypsies of Paris and the surrounding countryside.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Note: This is set about a few years before Sleeping Beauty and a year or so before Beauty and the Beast.
> 
> Something that has been at the back of my mind has been the Easter Eggs they put in the movies. Belle is seen walking around Paris on the Feast of Fools obviously before BatB, but how does she end up in the village to meet the Beast? She is smart but prefers the city, and her father’s too distracted to know there would be a problem. So they needed to little shove in a certain direction. Phillip gave her the information they needed to go to that quiet village.
> 
> This is one of those incidents that happened in many of my AU’s and my Prime Universe.


	6. Playing With Wolves

~ The Fairies’ Plan A - Part 6 - Briar Rose Plays With the Wolves

It was finally springtime and young Briar Rose could go out of the house without her heavy, uncomfortable boots. Merryweather tried so hard but she just couldn’t make shoes that fit her comfortably at all. Snow got her feet cold too fast to have any fun outdoors in the wintertime. She staying inside most of the winter. 

Rose and her aunts, well Aunt Merryweather, at least, had cleaned up around the cottage a little. Flora and Fauna had gone out to check on some things and would be back in the evening. So Rose had the afternoon to herself. 

Rose had found a cave last summer and had remembered it this morning, so she skipped out to see how it had faired in the winter. She found a big she-wolf and a pair of cubs lounging in the sun. 

Briar Rose quickly climbed into the trees. 

“Hello, Mrs. Wolf. How are you and your pups today?” called Briar Rose from the high branch. It was important to be polite to your neighbors. She had already encountered wolves and after getting chased back to the cottage the alpha had said she was not prey, which was a great honor, but it was best to make sure, Aunt Flora said.

“Tired, these two nipple-nippers spent all night yowling and not sleeping, like they were supposed to.” The she-wolf said with a great big yawn that made Briar Rose yawn too.

Aunt Fauna had taught Rose more about how humans work, now that her monthlies had come. How she would go into heat each cycle, how her body expelled the preparations for a baby in her period and how to deal with it. Aunt Fauna said there would be a mate for her when the time was right. Though they had not said when that time would be. Rose was gracious and patient, the time would come, like spring time. 

“Aw, mom, but it was fun,” the cubs said after yawning too. “Can she come down and play?”

“She may,” said the fine she-wolf.

“I’m not prey, right?” Briar Rose double-checked.

“You are not prey,” stated the she-wolf with a nod of her head.

“Where is the rest of the pack, if I may ask?” asked Briar Rose. 

“They are attacking some goons that are in the forest. Disgusting hell-spawn.” The mama-wolf said with contempt.

Young Briar Rose leapt lower in the tree, surfed gracefully down a branch to the ground and soon the girl and the pups were rolling around on the ground frolicking and mock biting or tickling each other, as their species worked best. 

Briar Rose could get her legs around around a cub and flip them over so she was on top. It was a great move she could do, but they could not.

Yhen one of the cubs yelped, everyone leapt away from each other, trying to look nonchalant, and the mother-wolf’s head snapped up. 

“Ouch, that hurt! Mama, mama!” cried the pup rubbing her ear with a paw.

“What did I say about roughhousing?” said the she-wolf.

“To do lots of it, but stop if someone yelps,” replied the cub.

“That’s right. Come here and let me see,” said the mama-wolf. The little puppy walked over to her mother holding her head to one side. The mama-wolf sniffed at her pup, licked the ear and said, “It’s okay, you’re not bleeding, or anything. You’ll be fine.” Giving her young another lick on the forehead, like a kiss.

“May I see?” asked Briar Rose, Aunt Fauna had been teaching her how to help their forest friends.

The she-wolf nodded and Briar Rose gently looked at the injured ear. She could feel some indentations, but the fur had protected the skin. “Yes, everything looks fine. Ready for more play.”

“Oh yeah!” Said the puppy enthusiastically.


	7. Divergence

~ The Fairies’ Plan A - Part 7 - Divergence

Briar Rose walked home to the cottage with her basket of berries, after several quiet hours of wasting time with her friends. She was so curious about what her aunts had done for her birthday. They were such dears, but not very good at being sneaky. She had tried to give them plenty of time to do whatever it was they wanted to do. She knew it would take them a couple...several tries to get it right without her help.

She had avoided a stranger on a horse her friends had warned her about, his red cloak had been easy to see. She tried so hard to obey her aunties, because she loved them so much. He had seemed so interesting as he had ridden past her tree. She wished she could have seen his face and eyes but his red cap shaded them from her. She would have to ask Aunt Fauna about that, she had never been interested in any of the other strangers she had avoided.

“Surprise, surprise!” Rose’s three aunts call as she came in and saw the cake and the pink dress.

“Oh, you dears, this is wonderful. This is the happiest day of my life.” Rose took each of their faces in her hands and gave each of them a kiss.

“Let’s have some cake, before you try on the dress,” said Aunt Fauna and they went outside and ate some of the beautiful blue cake and shared much of it with their forest friends.

“This cake is so delicious, and it is so tall; this is the best cake you’ve ever made Aunt Merryweather,” commented Briar Rose.

“I didn’t make, Fauna did,” said Merryweather uncomfortably, glancing at Fauna.

Rose looked puzzled at Fauna. “I didn’t know you could bake. Why didn’t you do this before? It’s so wonderful,” she smiled.

Aunt Fauna looked unsure of herself, but Aunt Flora said it was time to try on the dress. They went up to her room and helped her change and came back down to the kitchen so there was room for all of them to see it better.

“This dress is wonderful Aunt Merryweather, this is your best work ever. It feels wonderful. The shoes fit perfectly,” gushed Rose as spun around and the dress flared around her. She never wore shoes because aunt Merryweather couldn’t make them well enough to be comfortable.

“I didn’t sew it, Flora did,” said Merryweather guiltily looking at Flora.

Briar Rose stopped, the dress wrapped around her legs before falling still and looked at Aunt Flora curiously. “Why didn’t you sew before? You do it so well.”

Rose thought, _“Why had they let poor Aunt Merryweather struggle all these years, if they could have helped so much? Why does everything feel so wrong all of the sudden?_ ”

Flora looked around, but then Aunt Merryweather said, “We have another present for you.”

Rose smiled and bounced a little on her feet, her concerns forgotten, this was such a wonderful day. She was wondering what Aunt Merryweather had for her. “Really, what is it?”

“The truth,” said Aunt Merryweather solemnly.

Rose became very still and her eyes narrowed at that, and she felt a cold shiver start at the base of her spine.

Rose’s three aunts sat her down and told her the story of a loving King and Queen, a cursed baby princess and three fairies that sheltered the princess in a forest where she grew up in secret as a peasant. A fairy tale they had told her many times.

“That baby princess is you, you are the Princess Aurora and we are the fairies. See.” They pulled out sparkly white sticks and changed themselves. In a shower of sparkles they were suddenly wearing fancy gowns with tall hats and they had wings.

Rose pushed her chair back, her eyes wide, surprised by the magic. Fairies in the stories could be very dangerous. They were powerful and fickle. In so many of the stories princesses were hurt or killed by fairies. Briar Rose’s heart began to pound. She wanted to run, that is what she was supposed to do, but they were between her and the door. She looked around for another way out.

“It’s okay, we are still your aunts. We love you, we protected you and never want you to be hurt,” said Aunt Flora in a fancy pink gown with a peaked hat.

Rose calmed down, For sixteen years they had cared for her, loved her, and she loved them still.

Flora looked out the window, it was getting dark. “It’s time for you to go to your true home now.”

“Can I take anything with me?” Asked Rose feeling a little off-balance and wanting something to help remember who she is, or rather, had been.

“Of course, dear,” said Flora, as they go up to her room.

“My clothes?”

“No, they will have new clothes for you. Clothes worthy of a princess.”

Aurora’s face fell a little, Aunt Merryweather had worked so hard on those clothes, it was a shame to leave them behind, then she saw the books in the cubby by her bed. “Oh. My books?”

“They have a library with far more books.”

Rose was beginning to worry, she liked her books. She thought she should take something to remember her time here by. Something hers. She spied something on her dresser.

“My poppet!” Rose reached out and held Lily close. She would take Lily no matter what they said.

“Of course, dear,” said Flora. “Come, we must go now.”

Rose looked around the cottage one last time, missing it already somehow, even if it wasn’t her real home anymore.

Closing the windows and doors felt like the end of her life.


	8. The Return of Prince Phillip

~ The Fairies’ Plan A - Part 8 - The Return of Prince Phillip

King Hubert came racing out of the throne room. The herald had announced Prince Phillip. It had been sixteen years since he had last seen his son. 

“Phillip, ho, Phillip.” He called as Phillip raced by on his white horse.

“Hurry, boy, hurry. Change into something suitable. Can’t meet your future bride looking like that.” It was less than half an hour until sundown. Aurora was going to be here soon. 

Phillip slid off of Samson and raced back to his father. 

“Father, it is so good to see you.” Phillip picked up his father in a hug and spun him around. 

“It’s good to see you too, my boy. I’ve missed you so much.”

“I’ve missed you too.” Phillip put King Hubert down.

“Where ever did you get so strong?” asked Hubert.

“I’ve sent a lot of the last 5 years wearing armor most of the day. Plus all the fighting training.”

“Of course, of course. Come, boy, we must get you ready.”

“Yes, father.” Phillip and Hubert turned toward the entrance of the castle, as grooms took Samson in to be tended.

“Yes, yes. You even have a room here. So how have your travels been?” They walking into the castle and they were shown to Phillip’s chambers.

“The last sixteen years haven’t been travels. At least not like the other princes I’ve met do. I’ve been hiding from Maleficent and training with the best teachers we could find. Frankly, I don’t know if I could travel like the other princes do. I’m not so much into the parties they throw. I’ve had more important concerns,” chided Phillip.

“Well, it looks as though the disguises worked.” Hubert said.

“Indeed, though I had to cut and ran many times, whenever odd things began happening around me. I couldn’t afford to take any chances for Aurora’s sake.”

“No, no you couldn’t. Just getting letters to you was hard with all the protections we put in place,” said Hubert as they entered the rooms set aside for Phillip.

“It was easier for me. Sending a letter through one of your embassies that was far from where I was, worked,” said Phillip as he began to take off his woodsman disguise, putting his red hat and cloak on a chair.

“Well, no problem now. I kept copies of everything so we can go through them in case anything was missed.” King Hubert paused. “I’m proud of you. For all the hardship, you are still a remarkable young man.”

Phillip paused as he he was pulling off his plain brown tunic and looked at his father. “Thank you. I know that was difficult for all of us. I missed you so much. The letters that I received from you were good but it was hard when it could be so long between them. So much of the time I had only a few things to anchor myself with. One of them was seeing Queen Leah on her throne clutching Aurora in her arms weeping like a broken hearted child after Maleficent left.” Phillip was staring into the distance, he could still see that moment as clear as if it had just happened, even after sixteen years.

“I had to be the best I could be for her, I had to be ready to do everything in my power to bring Aurora back to Leah and to be a good husband to Aurora. You told me to train hard and stay clean. I trained with some of the best on the continent, I focused on being the best I could for Aurora. I saw how some of those other princes and knights dissipated themselves drinking and wenching. They lost so much of their capabilities, by doing those things. Aurora deserved better then that, you knew that. Thank you for that advice.” Phillip said gratefully, then he sat to pull off his boots.

“No, thank you son, for listening and doing the right thing. I am proud of you, boy. I am happier now then when you finally rode up today. It’s finally over.” King Hubert was a little surprised and more then a little humbled. His son had listened to him and seen that the advice was good. He was a king and it seemed like so few of his subjects did what he asked sometimes.

Phillip looked out of the window, the sun was still partway above the horizon. “It’s not over yet, father,” said Phillip seriously. “It’s close but not just yet. We have no idea what has happened to Aurora and the fairies. There’s been no communications at all, as it had to be, but that leaves far too much open. I’ll relax only after the sun sets.” He pulled on his dark jacket with the red slashed shoulders and settled his knife in his belt.

“Of course, boy.” said King Hubert as Phillip swung the red cape over his shoulders. He strode to the large chest sitting by the wall. He opened it, revealing his armor, which he had sent ahead. 

Phillip pulled out his sword and moved to the wall away from the window to watch the sun set, not wanting to risk being seen from the window. Together they waited the last few minutes in silence as the sun slid below the horizon.

As the last bright glint of the sun vanished, they heard the herald cry, “The sun has set! Prepare to meet your princess!”

“Come father, let’s go to the throne room. We don’t want to upstage my future wife.” Said Phillip, smiling and finally relaxing as the people cheered and fireworks lit up the sky.


	9. The Princess Aurora Returns

~ The Fairies’ Plan A - Part 9 - The Return of The Princess Aurora

After a long time walking in her comfortable new pink shoes Rose stopped. They had reached the edge of the forest. The place they had promised would always keep her safe.

She looked at her aunts, who were fairies now, they had always told her she wasn’t allowed to leave the forest. She held Lily close, and bit her red, red lip.

“It’s okay, you’re allowed to leave the forest now. You need to go to your real home,” said Flora, easily understanding what Rose’s concern was.

Rose nodded.

“Wait!” urgently whispered Merryweather, she pointed to a raven flying overhead. They had Rose pull the cloak around her and hide in the shadow of a large tree as they made themselves tiny.

Soon the bird was out of sight and they left the forest behind. Rose felt funny all over now that there were no trees around her, though the feeling went away as the sun set completely, she couldn’t see so far anymore. They saw pretty explosions of lights over the castle. 

There was a flash of green light and then a deep boom from the Forbidden Mountain, but the fairies just smiled and said there was nothing to worry about anymore. Maleficent’s curse had backfired on her.

It was still a long walk to the castle. 

They passed into the castle, the doors were so big and heavy looking. There were so many people, and all made way for the fairies. They whispered a lot amongst themselves and Rose felt ashamed, like she was doing everything wrong.

They came to more big doors and a man called out the names of the fairies and Rose’s princess name. They walked across the long room and stopped before the people on the dais. The fairies curtsied and so did Rose, because her etiquette book had told her it was polite to curtsy to royalty. 

But Rose only had eyes for the woman at one end, with a face that looked so much like her own. There was a word for that woman, a word she had never used in her memory. 

Mom. 

Rose rushed forward and hugged her Mom, she felt her Dad hug her too. She had real parents and they loved her. Things she had wished for her whole life.

Then came a person called King Hubert. He was even fatter then Aunt Merryweather, but seemed nice.

“What a beautiful princess we have here,” said Hubert.

Rose looked to her aunts, biting her red, red lip again. She wasn’t allowed to talk to strangers. 

“It’s okay, you may talk to strangers now. You’ll be doing that a lot from now on. You are a princess and you are home. The curse is lifted. None of the restrictions we placed on you to keep you safe in the forest are in effect anymore,” said Aunt Flora, kindly.

Rose nodded with a gracious smile, turned to King Hubert and said, “Thank you, but I didn’t know until just a few hours ago.”

“Of course. Of course. Had to keep you safe. This is my son, Prince Phillip,” King Hubert introduced his son. “You two were betrothed the day you were born.” 

But Rose couldn’t really hear him anymore. Her heart was thumping in her chest and she could feel her face get all hot. Her eyes were all wide and her mouth was open a little. She knew that face, and those eyes, and he was the stranger from her dreams. Suddenly it felt like there was nothing around them at all. She lowered her eyes in confusion, she wanted to be so close to him, it scared her a little, but she looked up again through her lashes. He smiled and it was like the sun coming up all over again. 

He took her hand and the warmth of his hand in hers flowed up her arm and into her body, her heart glowed with love. She could only look into his eyes as they walked onto the floor and began to dance, but she heard no music but the music in her body. Time had no meaning to her, just being close to him was all she wanted. 

They paused at some point and had more cake, a second birthday cake but she couldn’t remember what it tasted like. She could see her parents and his father talking, her father shaking his head a lot, but finally nodding. There was a strange look on Mom’s face, happy and sad and Rose became a little concerned. King Hubert looked very happy with himself.

A part of Rose’s mind was more then concerned, everything was new and different and she was surrounded by strangers. She had no idea what to do with all the new things she was seeing and hearing. So many things seemed wrong, why had her aunts never done those things they did so well today before? If her father was king why didn’t he act like the alpha to King Hubert? Was King Hubert alpha over her kingdom? That didn’t seem right.

She did know one thing, she wanted to be with Phillip.

Soon her aunts and her mom came over and asked her to come with them, as King Hubert came for Phillip. Rose didn’t want to leave Phillip, not ever, but they said she would see him again really soon.


	10. Hubert and Phillip Have The Talk

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, it's THAT talk but not too much detail.

~ The Fairies’ Plan A - Part 10 - Hubert and Phillip Have The Talk

King Hubert and Prince Phillip are sitting in Phillip’s room, waiting for Aurora to be made ready for the wedding. Phillip is wearing a white jacket and gold sash. He had bathed and was feeling quite good. 

King Hubert had finally talked King Stefan into getting the two love birds married so they can get started on making grandchildren. He needed them to get started soon, he’d been so sick a few months ago, he wasn’t so so sure that he’ll last much longer. He wasn’t getting any younger, you know.

“Well, now, Phillip you are a handsome boy, aren’t you. Your mother would have been so proud of you now.” said King Hubert.

“I hope so, father. I wish I could have known her.” Phillip said quietly.

“Yes. I took you mother, Rachel, to wife, because the kingdom needed and heir after Sarah died. She gave her life for the kingdom having you. They were dear sweet women. I miss them and I missed you so much. Having to hide you and Aurora was hard on everyone. At least I could send you letters, Stefan and Leah had it worse. Stupid witch made our lives so much harder then they needed to be.” Hubert grumbled about Maleficent.

“Brahumm. Very well, then, we don’t have a lot of time, so to the point of all this. So, ah, Phillip. You’re getting married really soon, and ah, there are some, um, things you need to, ahem, know about what to do with a woman. I’m guessing you learned quite a bit about the subject in your travels.” Began King Hubert uncomfortably.

Phillip sighed, “Only in the most general sense. The men and boys talked a lot about the subject but I was pretty sure they were just boasting, so I didn’t believe them. There was never anyone I found I could trust to ask. Thank you for taking the time now.”

“Hrmuph, yes of course,” began Hubert uncomfortably. “You’ll have to help her out of her clothes. Women’s clothes are ridiculously complicated, but I am sure you can get her out. But don’t tear her clothes, women have conniptions if you mess up their clothes or their hair. Oh bother, the hair.” Hubert rolled his eyes. Phillip laughed slightly, he had noticed that too.

“She may help with your clothes but expect to do it yourself. Your ...thing will react.” Hubert was all red as he pointed at his sons crotch.

“Father, it’s called a penis.” Phillip chided. “And it gets hard around women I find attractive. Right now even the thought of Aurora, makes me react strongly.” Phillip adjusted himself so it went down his pants leg so it was less obvious and more comfortable. He’d had to make his codpiece of his armor larger then average to accommodate himself.

“Brhum. Well, yes, but where did you learn that?” Hubert asked curiously, politely ignoring what Phillip had done, not noticing how large it was under his son’s jacket.

Phillip considered, “Cartagena, in Spain. I was studying with the Montoya’s. One of the things they taught me was a thorough understanding of human anatomy. You can’t know how to properly kill someone if you don’t know what the parts of the body are and do. We only covered boys, I had to cut and run, because there was a sighting of a tall woman in black that might have been Maleficent.” Phillip sighed, he’d run several times when unusual things happened nearby to where he was. He could not afford to take chances. He was the last line of defense, if the curse was accomplished. At least, they hoped so. True love’s kiss was more then a little unspecific, they could be many others, but he was the only one they knew about. They were betrothed, but that wasn’t the same as love. But it seemed like all that had been unnecessary, thank goodness.

“Okay, then...” King Hubert thought for a moment. “You want to lay her on the bed, spread her legs and get on top of her. You’ll know she’s ready when she puts her legs around you. You’ll be breaking her maidenhead, and I think going fast is better then slow, like ripping off a bandage. She’ll bleed a bit, but that is normal and expected. She’ll heal quickly and it won’t happen again. She’ll make all kinds of sounds, but she will be enjoying it. Both my wives said so.” Hubert said confidently.

“As you say, father,” agreed Phillip. He was thankful his father was filling him in. He really only had the vaguest idea what to do with a woman, though he wanted to be a good husband and lover to Aurora.

“It might be hard to believe, but in many ways I know Aurora. I have been dreaming about a princess my whole life it seems. My dream princess was Aurora. This should be an amazing night.” Said Phillip with a dreamy smile.


	11. Leah and Aurora have the Talk

~ The Fairies’ Plan A - Part 11 - Leah and Aurora Have The Talk

“This is going to be your room, dear.” Said Mom as she led them into a suite of rooms almost as big as the cottage. 

“Thank you. It’s so big. I don’t need anything this big, really.” 

“Oh, you will, dear.” Mom said smiling.

Rose wandered around the room as her Mom and aunts talked about things old and blue. There was a really big bed. Since this was her room now, she decided to put Lily down on the bedside table. Lily looked happy there, and made the room feel not so strange anymore.

Rose stopped in front of the mirror, her dress was blue. She was certain it had been pink, when she put it on back in the cottage. She pulled on the skirts to see it better.

“Oh yes, we really must take care of that.” Aunt Fauna waved her wand and the dress became purest, glistening white. 

Mom brought out the veil from her wedding, whatever that was, and put it on her head. There were so many questions Rose wanted to ask, but things were moving along so quickly, it was hard to get a word in edgewise. Rose liked to take her time and think before she spoke. Her aunts were nice but flighty and she needed to make sure she had their attention first. 

Rose was feeling tired too. They had been up all night and there were so many people to meet. Being with Phillip made time speed past so quickly, it was disconcerting.

The three fairies put their wands together and forged a crown for her out of thin air, filled with diamonds and large rubies, that reminded her of angry unicorn eyes.

Aurora’s Mom stood in front of her and asked, “You love Phillip, don’t you?”

“Yes. I want to be with him all the time. Once I saw him, I knew him. I met him once upon a dream. I’ve been dreaming about a prince taking me away for so long. This will be an amazing night.” Rose said dreamily.

Her Mom nodded, but there were tears in her eyes. 

“What’s wrong, Mom? Are you okay?” Rose asked concerned.

“Yes, I am just so very happy.” Leah wiped her eyes delicately with a handkerchief. She knew there would be more time to talk after the wedding, but it felt like she was losing her baby all over again.

“Yes, Mom.” But Rose’s stomach fluttered like a thousand butterflies. It felt so confusing. Things weren’t making sense and it was beginning to scare her a little. But she was trying to be gracious, helpful and kind.

“Phillip will bring you here and will ...know you. Do you understand how that works?” asked Leah.

“Know?” asked Rose confused. 

“Um, have sex with you.” Leah whispered as she leaned in. It was so embarrassing to take about it to her own daughter who she hardly knew. She hoped she could stay in the castle for a few years so they could get to know each other.

“Oh, that, yes. Aunt Fauna showed me how that works with the animals of the forest, and told me about how humans do it.” Rose said confidently.

Queen Leah looked relieved.

“But it’s not time yet.” said Rose, a little worried. She would be in heat in about a week, just before her monthlies started. 

“No,” agreed Leah, thinking that Aurora was talking about premarital sex. “But it will be after the wedding.”

Rose was puzzled about that and thought, “Why would the wedding, whatever that was, change her monthlies?”   
Rose was going to ask her mom about the questions she had, now that she remembered them, but just then Aunt Flora came over with a bouquet of flowers and they left her room.

Things began happening so fast. Rose tried to do the right thing, but she didn’t feel sure of herself at all. She didn’t really know what to do most of the time, but smile and be polite as her book had told her.

Mom pulled the veil over her face and went away. Then Dad was walking her to Phillip, who was in a fancy white and gold jacket, and they were standing in front of a man with a really big hat. He talked about love but so many other things she didn’t understand. He asked questions of her and she had to say “I do.” He asked questions of Phillip and he said he would too.

Then everyone was clapping and throwing rice and flowers at them, there was yet more cake, she had to feed him and he fed her. And they danced and danced and danced. 

Then it was getting dark again, when had the sun come up? She wondered to herself and her concern built. Why did so little make sense anymore? It was so hard to think straight, she was so tired.

Phillip then took her hand and began singing a romantic love song with her. He led her out of the big room and the people all cheered. She didn’t know why they cheered, but she waved and smiled graciously at the top of the stairs like Phillip did.


	12. Briar Rose Escapes

~ The Fairies’ Plan A - Part 12 - Briar Rose Escapes

The Princess Aurora awoke on her back, shivering. It was dark and she was cold and scared. She was hurting. She didn’t know where she was. It wasn’t the room she had grown up in, it smelled so different, sharp and raw not musty and sweet. It was a room called hers, but she didn’t know where anything was. 

She remembered some of what happened, but she couldn’t understand it very well. The pain she understood. She slowly reached into the darkness trying to find something to hook what happened to her on, but found only the edge of the bed. 

There was a snore behind her, and Aurora curled into ball to protect herself. Phillip had hurt her, it felt like he had been splitting her in half, and she didn’t want to be hurt again. She timidly felt around behind her and found the blanket, but it was wrapped tightly around Phillip. 

From her movements, Aurora felt her legs were wet and cold. She reached down, touched the wetness and held it up to her nose. Hoping she wouldn’t smell what she feared. There were many scents on her finger, sweet and musky, but mixed in there was the one she feared.

Blood.

Aurora bit her lip. Why did this happen? She was a good girl. She did everything her aunties told her to do. Why did she deserve to be hurt like this? Why didn’t things make sense anymore? She had loved Phillip, and she thought he loved her. Why did he hurt her? She would never have hurt him. The dreams had been so long, gentle and romantic, but the reality wasn’t, it had been short, brutish and horrible.

It was so dark she could not see anything. The cottage had been safe and happy. She wanted that again. Her aunts had told her the forest was safe and they took her from the safe forest to the castle, the place where the poor princess lived. But now she was the poor princess of the castle and it really was terrible like the fairy tales said it was. 

Fairy tales told her that princesses were attacked by fairies, witches and monsters. They were even eaten by their own families. She had been betrayed, she thought her aunts would protect her even now, but they hadn’t. They didn’t really care about her. They had just waited to give her to the monster here in the bed with her and leave her vulnerable. 

Aurora reached out into the darkness trying to find something to help her. She felt the nightstand and found something soft: Lily, her poppet, her friend, her only friend.

The Princess Aurora clutched Lily to her bosom and wrapping herself around her only friend, and quietly wept to herself in the cold, darkness of her castle bedroom.

* * *

Briar Rose and her poppet, Lily, quietly limped through the drapes to the balcony of the room they called hers. She had Lily in one hand as the other pressed against the pain Phillip had inflicted. Phillip was still asleep in the bed warmly wrapped in the blankets. It was still quite dark, though the thick band of stars gave her more light than the darkness of the bedroom she just left. 

“We can’t stay here, Lily. He hurt me, they all hurt me so much. The dream must have been a warning. It isn’t safe. We have to leave, but where to go?” Briar Rose whispered to her poppet.

Rose thought for a moment. “Yes, the forest was safe. I know the forest really well, and my friends can keep us safe. The cottage has things we need.”

They looked over the railing and down. The ground didn’t look far away. Not having anywhere to put her poppet, Rose bit gently down on Lily. Rose carefully climbed over the railing and dropped down to the ground, silent as a cat. 

Lily muffled Rose’s scream as she collapsed from the pain that shot through her abdomen and legs. It took several moments before the pain subsided and she could stand up and clear the tears from her eyes. “Sorry, Lily. That hurt so much.”

As Rose snuck to the corner of the keep, she could see a group of guards with torches milling around the closed gate, other guards patrolled the battlements. They were not doing a good job of it tonight, the celebration of the Return of the Hidden Princess and the breaking of the curse had made everyone’s attitude quite lax. They might be reprimanded tomorrow, but not likely, everyone was having too good a time.

Briar Rose looked around and saw a dark part of the castle walls, she padded over and felt it with her free hand. It was good, hard stone, but she could feel the cracks between the rocks. She looked up, it would be much like climbing the really big trees of the forest. She could do this.

Having no place to carry Lily, Rose decided to carry her like a she-wolf carries her pups, in her mouth. Rose carefully climbed the wall. She was panting as she swung herself onto the top of the battlement, scraping her chest and belly a little. 

Rose sat with her back against the stone stone of the battlements. She needed to rest. She had been getting worried, the sweat glistening on her hands and feet had been making it hard at the end there. The pain between her legs was distracting.

“We’re almost out, Lily. They won’t fool us anymore. They won’t hurt us anymore. I’m tired, climbing this wall is harder then climbing a tree. I’ll get us back to the forest, we’ll be safe there. I promise.” Briar Rose hugged Lily tight.

They looked over the battlements to the ground below, it looked so far away, but there were some trees down below. 

Just then there was the stumbling footsteps of a guard and the light of a torch coming from the spiral stairs of the tower next to them. 

Briar Rose looked at the wavering shadows, to Lily in her hand and then to the trees below. She put Lily in her mouth again, ran down the wall, leapt onto the battlements and gracefully dove over the wall. 

Briar Rose’s sweat-soaked hair streamed out beautifully behind her, as she plummeted toward the ground. The wind howled in her ears and stung her eyes, but she had leapt from tree to tree playing with the squirrels for many years and she reveled in the freedom she felt.

The leaves clashed as Briar Rose grabbed the branch she had aimed for and caught herself on. She scampered to the trunk and shimmied down to the ground.

* * *

Prince Phillip awoke slowly, faint light was peeking under the drapes to the balcony. There was a long moment of disorientation as he remembered all that had happened in the recent past. He was in yet another new bed, but this was a special bed now. A bed he shared with his wife.

Aurora was wonderful in ways he could barely understand. She was so kind and gracious, he had thought she might have trouble adjusting to life in the castle but she seemed so adept at all the things they did together at the reception. It was so amazing to just be with her.

Aurora was so beautiful. He had seen many great beauties in his travels. The towns and cities that he had been in had always seemed to boast of how beautiful their women were. But none held a candle to Aurora. Just the memory of her red, red lips and blushing cheeks beckoned him to turn and take her sleeping beauty again.

Sex had been amazing, he now understood how some people could obsess over it. He hoped it had felt as good for her as it did for him. His gut had urged him to take his time and enjoy their first night together, but he had followed his father’s advice to do it quickly to spare her too much pain.

Everything seemed to go as father had described, though she had screamed rather a lot and it sounded painful for her. He knew he was going to hurt her, he didn’t like having to do that. He had tried to be as quick as possible, it had been so very tight. The yelping had been odd. He was concerned, he knew he was larger then most men, but women birthed babies that were far larger. 

It had been so pleasant to see her nude body lying beside him in the dying candlelight. She didn’t seem to have any hair on hair body below her head. He had gently run his fingers over her unconscious body, her arms were completely bare. He had seen plenty of women with dark hair under their arms but his Aurora have none at all, as he had put her arms down on her chest. She did not even have any stubble, he noted as he had itched his own stubble. 

He wasn’t nearly as hairy as some of the Spaniards and Italians he had trained with but this was odd. Maybe it had something to do with the magic of the fairies. He had covered the both of them with the blanket after blowing out the candles, put his arms around her and held her gently to keep her warm as they both slept.

Phillip wanted to know Aurora more intimately then just sexually. They had little time to talk so far but she seemed smart and good. But he wanted to know with the same intimacy that he found in the people he had fought in his training. There was a special connection he found in those he had sparred with. They were trying to hurt each other but they both understood that and could relate deeply because they had to watch each move and intention of the other in battle.

Phillip rolled over and put out his arm, wanting to hold Aurora close again, but the bed was empty. He felt around, but couldn’t see anything in the darkness. 

He remembered the balcony was just off his side of the bed, so he took the few steps and ran into the curtains. Pulling them aside, the faint light of dawn illuminated the room. Aurora was not in the room. Wrapping himself in a robe, he checked the other rooms of the apartment, but they were empty too. 

Phillip went to the door of their apartments but the red-haired maid outside said that no one had left the room. 

Phillip wondered if this was some kind of dream, she could not have disappeared. Aurora was the girl of his dreams, haunting them all these years. He would protect her always.

Phillip closed the door and turned, the sun was rising and he could now see the blood on the sheets and on the floor; the trail led to the balcony. Phillip dashed to the railing. He could see more blood below.

Phillip strode back to the door. “Wake the kings! Aurora is missing, and there is a blood trail!” Phillip ordered.

The maid ran off.

Phillip pulled on his white shirt and charcoal hose from the wedding. 

Phillip went downstairs and picked up the trail under the balcony, there was a large splatter of blood there and he could easily follow the bloody footprints to the base of the outer wall, occasional red smears told him she had climbed up the wall. He was too worried about her to note the amazing skill it had taken to climb what looked like a smooth wall. He dashed to the nearest turret and quickly climbed to the top of the wall and picked up the trail again.

Phillip was almost in a panic when he realized that the trail went over the side of the wall, but there was no body. He ran back to his room and threw on his worn but comfortable woodsmen disguise.

“Phillip, what’s the matter?” asked Stefan as he and Leah came in, fully dressed.

“Yes, boy what’s going on. Where’s Aurora?” asked Hubert.

“Aurora is missing and hurt. There is a blood trail that runs from her side of the bed and over the outside wall. I didn’t see a body.” Phillip stated. 

Leah gasped and leaned against Stefan, who put his arm around his wife.

“I don’t know what is going on. Stefan gather some men, we have to find her and help her. We’ll see if we can pick up the trail outside the castle walls.” Phillip’s worry was making him terse and stern as he took charge of the situation.  
===

Author’s note: Briar Rose is hurt, it isn’t too serious but it will take several days for her to heal up. She is on the small side, but Phillip is on the extra large side and he didn’t take the necessary time to get her ready. King Hubert gave him the best advice he had, but Hubert wasn’t a particularly good lover though his wives told him it was okay because they were so very kind. Quite a bit of miscommunications has caused a bit of a problem.


	13. The Return of Briar Rose

“It’s going to be okay, Lily. I’m going to get us home,” whispered Briar Rose to her poppet Lily, her only remaining friend, as she pressed her back against the trunk of a tree in the darkness outside of the castle she had just escaped. She held Lily tight as they waited, as the sounds of the guards and the shadows of their torches faded into the night. It also gave her some time to rest. That climb had been hard. Jumping to the tree had been fun but she had been scared of missing the branch in the starlit darkness.

“I’m so sorry Lily, I don’t know what I had been expecting, to be happy, I guess. I wasn’t expecting to be hurt like that. Why did he do that?” Briar Rose told her poppet as she slunk away from the castle, carefully placing her bare feet in the darkness. The excitement of her escape was fading and she was beginning to hurt again. The cool breeze make her glistening skin goose-bump. 

“I won’t let them do that to us again. We’ll be safe in the forest.” Briar Rose’s anger kept her moving against the pain within her. Back to her forest, the place she had been safe her whole life. Leaving the forest had been bad, she should never have left the forest, even though her aunts had given her permission to leave and had led her to the castle, the place of pain, betrayal and eventually death. Just like the fairy tales said.

Briar Rose was hurting; her body and her heart. They had hurt her in ways she had never imagined. She had trusted her aunts totally, they had said they would always keep her safe. But they were really fairies and they brought her to the castle to be hurt and violated. She would never, could never trust them again. The fairy tales had been right, fairies are dangerous and mercurial. Had she just been an entertainment for them?

She had felt such desire and love toward Phillip but he was just a monster with a pretty face. A wolf in sheep’s clothes. Another fairy tale.

Her parents had given her to that monster, they were probably planning to eat her once he was done breaking her. More fairy tales come true. A part of her wanted to curl up into a ball and cry forever. 

Briar Rose dashed the tears from her eyes and bared her teeth. She would not be broken anymore! Prey cries, prey hides, prey is hurt and she is not prey! Wolves hunt, wolves eat prey, and the pack would keep her safe!

Rose gritted her teeth against the pain and kept walking, but hugged Lily tightly against the cold of the night on her bare skin.

In the moonlight she could see the smoldering ruin of the Forbidden Mountain. “At least we don’t have to worry about that witch anymore, that will make things easier. My aunts may have protected me well enough for the curse to rebound on Maleficent, but they took me to the castle and let me be hurt, they were so happy to see me hurt. They are bad fairies, just like the fairy tales say fairies are. Why do fairies hurt princesses, Lily? I loved them my whole life, and they hurt me, they lied to me. Everything was lies.”

At the edge of the forest, Briar Rose turned to look at the castle, gleaming faintly in the moonlight. It was supposed to be her real home, but the forest was her true home. “Why did they stop loving me, Lily? Was it because they made me a princess?” 

“I am not a princess!” Briar Rose shouted at the castle, turned her back on the castle, entered her forest and called for her friends. Owl soon showed up, he had been hunting at night as owls do best. 

“Hello, Briar Rose, have you come to play?” asked Owl.

“No, I have come home to escape the castle. The castle is a bad place. A very bad place. They hurt me there.”

“Oh no! We will keep you safe here in the forest.” said Owl.

“Thank you. I know you will. Please, have your family and relations keep watch. People may come seeking me, but I must hide from them. I don’t want to be hurt anymore.” Briar Rose’s lip quivered a little, but then she took a breathe and kept going. “I won’t let them hurt me anymore! Thank you for still loving me.”

Owl flew off to set his family and relations to watch. Briar Rose soon reached the cottage, which was dark. She wasn’t sure if anyone was home. Nothing she knew seemed sure anymore. “It looks empty, Lily. Do you think it’s safe?”

Briar Rose thought for a minute. “You’re right Lily, I should get cleaned up first, and that might wake someone up.”

Briar Rose climbed to the stream above the cottage and moved the rock that let the water run with unseemly happiness down to the waterwheel. She then ran to a place where she could see the cottage. Water poured over the water wheel, which groaned and creaked loudly in the darkness and began to turn.

“It doesn’t look like anyone is home, Lily.” They worked their way down to the waterwheel. Briar Rose carefully put Lily down against a rock. Briar Rose gingerly sat on the grass next to Lily, “Am I a bad girl?” 

She twisted the ring on her finger, then pulled it off. After a long moment, she just dropped the meaningless trinket into the water, and waded to the water wheel.

Briar Rose let the cool water cascade over her, washing the sweat out of her hair. Her hands trembled as she washed off the blood, her blood, and the other things Phillip had left on her legs and body.

Tears mingled with the water, “Why did Phillip hurt me? He had seemed so handsome and good. He was the stranger from my dreams, but the dreams hadn’t hurt like this. I know I’m not in heat yet, but why didn’t he wait? He hurt me. He tore me. It felt like he was splitting me apart. I yelped to make him stop but he didn’t. It hurt so much.” The poppet sat quietly in response.

Stalking to the door, she cautiously opened it. The cottage was dark and quiet. She lit a candle by touch. 

Using the medical kit Aunt Fauna had put together and a hand mirror, she did what she could to treat herself. She went up to her room and hurriedly pulled on some clothes, and laid rags into her panties to catch any more blood.

“Why does having clothes on feel so much better now?” asked Briar Rose of her poppet. Phillip had taken the dress the fairies had made for her off and that had felt so confusing, to have him remove her clothes, a stranger, but not really a stranger, but then he had taken her to the bed.

She had thought they were going to sleep. She had been so tired and needed some sleep. He was nice and helped her off with her clothes, she was looking for a nightgown, but he had scooped her up and put her on the bed. She thought he was playing with her, he had been smiling so kindly. She had tickled him and tried to roll him over like she had with the wolves, wrapping her legs around him. But he had pinned her down, he wasn’t playing, his face was strange and different and scarily intent. He had forced her arms down over her head, pushed into her, tore her, she had screamed and passed out from the pain. 

Briar Rose glided with Lily to the kitchen and gathered some food for a meal. Briar Rose hissed against the pain, she had sat down too quickly, having forgotten the hurt she had received between her legs.

Tears came to her eyes again as she looked at the fruits, berries and vegetables on her plate. “They were eating my friends, Lily.” Briar Rose said quietly with horror in her voice. 

They had all sat for a banquet, and there was so little food she recognized and when she asked she was told it was boar, venison and swan. It had shocked and revolted her. Her etiquette book said it was important not to offend her host, but she had not been able to eat at all.

Briar Rose bared her teeth. “I am not going to let them take any more of my friends. We are not prey!”

Owl came flying in the window as Briar Rose was finishing eating as the dawn was breaking. “Men are coming! Many men, on horses!”

“We can’t stay here, Lily. We need to get ready. I’m not ready to stop them yet. The fairies know this place, but I know a place we can go.” Briar Rose grabbed up a pack and stuffed in her precious books, a pot and pan, dishes and utensils. She also swept the little curtain aside that covered the medical kit in the nook by the door; she could still help her friends. She went to her room and wrapped some clothes in her blanket and rolled it up. 

She picked up Lily from the table and told her, “There are caves on the Forbidden Mountain that the wolves use for dens. The wolves are my friends and will help us protect the forest. We will be able to keep men from the forest and we will be safe. We will not be prey!”

Briar Rose wrapped herself in her shawl, closed the door behind her and vanished into the forest.


	14. Rescuing the Princess

Phillip waited impatiently in the courtyard with Samson as the kings and men were preparing themselves. The Three Good Fairies came swooping down. “Oh, Phillip. We just heard. What happened?”

“I don’t know. I woke up this morning and Aurora was missing, there was a blood trail that went over the balcony, and over the outer wall. We are going to try and pick up the trail once the kings and men are ready.” Phillip stated tersely. The fairies exchanged looks. 

“She may have gone back to the cottage. It is the one place we know she knows. We can lead you there.” Flora said as the kings and their escort came out of the stables.

“Thank you. We’ll follow the trail as long as we can, and then go to the cottage if we lose it.” Philip said to the fairies.

“Leah’s going to stay behind, set up a healing room and get the doctors ready for Aurora.” Stefan said. Phillip nodded as the fairies made themselves tiny and flew up beside him.

Phillip called to the men around him. “We are going to follow the trail from outside the wall and wherever it leads. We don’t know why she has left. Maleficent may be dead,” the fairies nodded at that, “but some of her minions may have escaped and taken her. Stay alert.”

Phillip and the fairies picked up the blood trail outside the walls of the castle the kings and soldiers following. Eventually, it led to the cottage. 

“Rose, it’s us, your aunts. We know you are hurt, can we help you?” called Flora as the fairies, Prince Phillip and the kings entered the cottage as the men milled around outside the little cottage. 

Phillip thought he had been fairly close to this place when he travelled through the forest on his way to the castle.

As the fairies went upstairs, Phillip looked around. He was amazed that the walls were so beautifully painted, and wondered if his beloved bride had done it. There were dishes in the sink and there were open spaces that seemed to indicate things were missing. 

“She’s not here, and things are missing from her room.” Flora said as they came down the stairs.

“So, where could she be?” asked Phillip, worriedly. Aurora was obviously running, but why? Her parents loved her. He loved her and was trying to do the best he could for her. Everyone loved her so much. Why would she be running away from love.

The fairies exchanged looks, but as Flora opened her mouth, the sound of dozens of wolves howling filled the glen. Phillip’s hair stood on end as they all ran outside. 

The howling was coming from all around them. The horses were stomping the ground in their fear. The soldiers were looking around as they tried to control their horses, a few had their weapons out. 

“Rose!” called Flora, seeing the girl at the edge of the glen.   
“What’s wrong? Please, let us help you!” The fairies were rushing over to her. 

Phillip spun around to see his bride. She was beautiful in a brown and black peasant dress, but she also looked very angry. Briar Rose opened her mouth and sang. 

The forest exploded into chaos as animals burst from the bushes. Wolves slammed into the assembled men and horses, snarling and snapping, panicking the horses, making it hard for the men to fight. Phillip saw huge white unicorns appear and surround the fairies forcing them back and away from Aurora, deflecting the fairy magic with their horns.

Phillip leapt onto Samson’s back. He had to save Aurora from the chaos. He ducked as eagles, owl and hawks joined the fray from above.

“Aurora, look out!” Phillip called as he saw a bear running up behind her. He urged Samson forward. 

But the bear ignored the girl and ran straight at Phillip. The bear shouldered aside men and horses and ran straight at him and Samson. They were bowled over. Samson screamed as the claws ripped open his flank. Phillip struck at the bear, but the teeth cut off his shouts.

“Phillip!” King Hubert screamed. “Son! My boy!”

The girl who called herself Briar Rose nodded, Phillip would never hurt her again.

She stalked them as the men and fairies were driven from the forest. 

From the edge of the forest she watched as they fled, with the bodies of the fallen. The forest was hers and she would keep it and herself safe.

~ Epilogue

Other expeditions were made to try to rescue the princess, but none were successful. They had seen the golden haired girl leading a pack of wolves, but she would not respond when called to. The forest creatures would swarm them and drive them from the forest. They gave up when King Stefan was grievously injured by wolves.

The fairies went into the forest to try to talk to Rose, but the unicorns kept them from the girl. They spent many days at the edge of the forest weeping bitter tears; for they loved Briar Rose but now she hated them. 

Maleficent returned and did gleefully do great evil in the land. The fairies could not use their magic anymore, because they had brought sadness and death.

Princess Rapunzel came at the request of the queen, and sung to her fellow princess, but the forest princess would never come near or answer the questions in the songs.

The queen would often go to the edge of the forest to try to coax her daughter out, to come home, singing songs of love, but all she would see was her princess, her daughter, her baby, glaring back at her from the forest, surrounded by wolves and birds, a unicorn by her side, her wild hair blowing in the wind.

The prince had impregnated the princess and she bore healthy twins. In time, they grew up and came to know the secrets of the forest. Together they stood against the collapsing world, the forest was theirs and none could take it from them. 

The forest was not safe for man.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apparently not.   
> I dislike stories that end like this. It looks like Sleeping Beauty showed us the best case for a happy ending. Considering what she had to go through afterwards makes this really scary.  
> Aurora is not a weak little thing. She is incredibly strong. She is not like regular people, being raised by fairies and forest creatures would do that.   
> How interesting that whenever I poke at the variables in these stories all kinds of really bad things seem to end up happening.


End file.
